Lord of the Blade Read Online Free Page A

bed rather than
sharing the soiled rushes of the great hall with the rest of the
servants, sleeping close to the fire to avoid any rats.
    Corbett cleared his throat, still scowling
at her. "Your destiny awaits m'lady." He semi-bowed, cloak thrown
back over one shoulder, his arm outstretched, motioning for her to
enter.
    She hesitated.
    "If you would rather . . ." in two long
strides he was next to her, "mayhap Lord Malcomn and I could join
you in this drafty corridor.
    It was then she realized there was someone
else in the chamber. The man's back was toward her as he warmed his
hands above the fire. Lord Malcomn. The baron’s son.
    "Your arm," Corbett half ordered, half
asked.
    The tray tilted on her palm and she steadied
it with the other. Devon's heartbeat raced. He was asking for her
arm to escort her into the room. He was going to treat her like the
lady she'd always dreamed of being. Taking a calming breath, she
held her hand out to him in anticipation. With a warm plop, his
cloak came down upon her arm as if she were nothing more than a
cloak rack. Her mouth opened wide as he headed across the room.
Devon followed, her lips firmly set with disgust remembering she
was now nothing but his servant.
    "Where've you been hiding this wench?" came
a voice from over by the fire. "She tops the others. I should like
to sample her as well."
    Devon's eyes shot over to the opposite side
of the room. Lord Malcomn, a man no bigger than herself stood
warming himself at the hearth.
    "This one's not for sampling," came
Corbett's low voice from over by the window. "She's new here - and
untouched. I'd like to keep it that way for now."
    "For now." Malcomn answered and walked
toward her. "But this one is comely and so clean. I would have her
warm my bed."
    Devon laid Corbett's cloak on the bed just
as Lord Malcomn finished his sentence. Thoughts of terror flashed
through her mind. She'd fantasized of sleeping in the bed - but
alone. And certainly not with Malcomn.
    She moved away from the bed quickly, setting
the tray down on the bedside table, almost dropping it when she
heard Corbett's reply.
    "The only bed this wench will warm is my
own, foster brother. You've already had all the rest of my
servants, I'll not let you spoil this one too."
    The idea of anyone sampling her set her
blood to boil. A woman's virtue should be safe no matter if she
were only a serving wench or the daughter of the king himself.
    The bright, rich colors of Lord Malcomn's
parti-colored garments were almost blinding as he approached and
perused her. For some reason, Devon felt bolder around this man
than around Lord Corbett and matched his stare.
    Lord Malcomn’s eyes narrowed and his mouth
turned down in a frown. "A bold damsel, isn't she?"
    She stood so close, she could see every
detail from his blazing red hair to his pointed shoes. His tunic
was of a questioning nature, as a vertical line separated the green
right side from the yellow on the left. Even his hose were
outrageous, each leg being a color of its own.
    Her eyes settled upon the fine embroidery of
his soft shoes. Devon almost laughed aloud, spying the immensely
elongated pointed toes that had to be tied up to the ankle with
cord in order not to be tripped upon. She had seen others in the
great hall wearing this latest fashion, but personally thought it
no better than the silly clothes of the jester.
    She daringly surveyed the man's face. Small
squinty green eyes were accompanied by a strong, straight nose.
High cheekbones gave way to firm thin lips, and Devon realized that
this young man was no older than herself. And then she noticed
something that almost had her gasping in surprise. Freckles! She
laughed inwardly. She could never fear a man with freckles.
    "So how is the baron’s health?" Corbett's
question thankfully broke Lord Malcomn's gaze upon her body.
    "'Tis no better." Lord Malcomn stepped away
from Devon and walked back toward the fire. "Mother seems to think
he's infected with the plague.